Car Shipping to East London, South Africa
At the mouth of the Buffalo River in East London, Eastern Cape. The city was officially renamed KuGompo City in early 2026. UK Vehicle Exporters Ltd ships vehicles from the UK to East London, handling the whole UK side for you: car sourcing, tax-free supply where the car qualifies, buying on your behalf, inspections, collection and delivery to the UK port, UK customs clearance and loading onto the ship.
About Port of East London
East London is South Africa's only river port and a small one, with berths for ships of about 200 m or more. Its trade is closely tied to the motor industry, above all the Mercedes-Benz plant next to the harbour, which exports most of what it builds. In July 2025 the port handled its first transhipment car carriers in 13 years.
Area served: The port has rail and road links to the Free State and Gauteng as well as along the coast.
How Vehicles Are Handled at East London
Transnet Port Terminals runs the East London Car Terminal on the West Bank, where a four-storey parking structure with 2,800 bays is linked by road directly to the Mercedes-Benz factory. In April 2025 a R60 million upgrade of the automotive N berths and West Quay gave 550 m of quay at 10.5 m depth, able to take two car carriers over 200 m long at once, and doubled the design berth capacity to 790,000 vehicle units a year. That figure is the capacity of the berths, not of the parking area.
- Port authority
- Transnet National Ports Authority
- Vehicle terminal
- East London Car Terminal (Transnet Port Terminals), West Bank
- Parking
- 2,800 bays on four storeys, linked to the Mercedes-Benz plant
- Automotive berths
- 550 m of quay at 10.5 m, upgraded April 2025
- Design berth capacity
- 790,000 vehicle units a year (2025)
Shipping a Car from the UK to East London
We handle the whole UK side of an export to East London: sourcing the vehicle, tax-free supply from the selling dealer where the car qualifies, collection from any UK address, UK customs clearance and export documentation, and loading onto the ship by RoRo or container. Current carrier schedules show 2-7 weeks port to port, sailing from Felixstowe, London Gateway, Liverpool and Southampton. Lines on the route include MSC, Sallaum Lines and Wallenius Wilhelmsen.
Any import duty and taxes are paid by the importer, whoever clears the car. We can arrange customs clearance, registration and delivery to your door through a local agent, quoted separately, or work with an agent of your choice. For costs, the full sailing schedule and everything else about exporting to South Africa, see our South Africa shipping guide.
Upcoming Sailings to East London
Dates are carrier estimates and must be reconfirmed before booking.
| Departs | From | Arrives | Vessel | Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct 2026 | Felixstowe | 10 Nov 2026 | MSC Joy | MSC |
| 13 Oct 2026 | London Gateway | 13 Nov 2026 | MSC Sara Elena | MSC |
| 15 Oct 2026 | Liverpool | 28 Nov 2026 | MSC Sandy III | MSC |
| 16 Oct 2026 | Southampton | 28 Nov 2026 | MSC Sandy III | MSC |
| 17 Oct 2026 | Felixstowe | 28 Nov 2026 | MSC Sandy III | MSC |
| 17 Oct 2026 | Southampton | 18 Nov 2026 | Siem Edison | Sallaum Lines |
| 17 Oct 2026 | Southampton | 4 Nov 2026 | Traviata | Wallenius Wilhelmsen |
| 22 Oct 2026 | London Gateway | 28 Nov 2026 | MSC Sandy III | MSC |
Our Other Services
UK Car Sourcing & Supply
We source any new or used vehicle from any manufacturer in the UK, through our network of franchised dealers, car auctions, classified listings and private sellers, then inspect, purchase and export it to your country.
Buy a Car in the UK on Your Behalf
We check, view and buy the UK car you've found, from a dealer or a private seller, then ship it to you, protecting you from the pitfalls of paying an unknown seller from overseas.
Tax-Free & VAT-Free Vehicle Supply
We find new and VAT-qualifying used cars from VAT-registered dealers who will sell them free of UK VAT for export, which takes a sixth off a VAT-inclusive price. The saving comes from the dealer, not as a refund from us: we are not VAT registered. We arrange the export and give the dealer the proof it needs.
New / Used Car Export
We export new and used cars from the UK every week, sourced from our dealer, auction and trade network or supplied by you, given a multi-point inspection before shipment and shipped worldwide by RoRo or container.
Pre-Purchase Inspections
Before you commit to a car, we check its DVLA, MOT and recall records and run a paid UK history check, then view it, compare it with its logbook and send you photos and a video. A full mechanical inspection by an independent inspector can be added, quoted separately.
Government Pre-Shipping Inspection
Where the destination country requires a pre-export roadworthiness inspection, we arrange it with the approved inspection agency before the sailing so the vehicle is not held up on arrival. Quoted separately from the shipping price.
UK Vehicle Collection & Delivery
We collect any vehicle from any UK address and deliver it to the departure port at £1 per mile, driven on DVLA plates or moved on a carrier, timed to meet the booked sailing.
Secure Vehicle Storage
Vehicles wait with us in a secure compound between purchase and sailing, so there is no rush to move a car the day you buy it and nothing accumulating in storage charges at the port. Quoted separately from the shipping price.
Paintwork Reconditioning
Where a car would arrive the better for it, we can recondition the paintwork before it ships — worth doing while the vehicle is with us rather than paying to sort it out after it lands. Quoted separately from the shipping price.
UK Vehicle Customs Clearance
We make export declarations directly on the UK customs system and prepare every document needed at the UK port of exit, including the Bill of Lading, export certificate and DVLA export documentation.